Designating a Place or Time for Condolences
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The questioner:
He says: If many people were to gather and the deceased’s grave was lined up with the graves of the deceased’s family, and it was placed inside the cemetery, what is the ruling on that?
The Shaykh:
Condolences are prescribed, but if they had not arranged this setup, it would have been better, because it may develop. It may develop, and people may come to believe that condolences are to be offered at the grave, and that is not the case. Condolences do not have a specific place. Wherever you meet your brother, wherever you meet your afflicted brother, you offer him condolences: in the cemetery, on the road, in his home, in the mosque, in his store, in his shop, in his farm. It has no specific place; that is what condolences are. As for arranging a specific place or a specific custom, that is not permissible. Yes.
The questioner:
A statement completing the question: The deceased is from Darya, at a specific time.
The Shaykh:
Likewise, designating specific days or a specific place, all of this has no basis. It may develop into mourning gatherings and into… Yes. Adhering to these matters is not permissible because it develops into religious innovations and the holding of mourning gatherings, as is the case in other countries. Yes, and the matter of condolences is easy and simple. Condolences are not difficult for the bereaved. Yes.
He says: If many people were to gather and the deceased’s grave was lined up with the graves of the deceased’s family, and it was placed inside the cemetery, what is the ruling on that?
The Shaykh:
Condolences are prescribed, but if they had not arranged this setup, it would have been better, because it may develop. It may develop, and people may come to believe that condolences are to be offered at the grave, and that is not the case. Condolences do not have a specific place. Wherever you meet your brother, wherever you meet your afflicted brother, you offer him condolences: in the cemetery, on the road, in his home, in the mosque, in his store, in his shop, in his farm. It has no specific place; that is what condolences are. As for arranging a specific place or a specific custom, that is not permissible. Yes.
The questioner:
A statement completing the question: The deceased is from Darya, at a specific time.
The Shaykh:
Likewise, designating specific days or a specific place, all of this has no basis. It may develop into mourning gatherings and into… Yes. Adhering to these matters is not permissible because it develops into religious innovations and the holding of mourning gatherings, as is the case in other countries. Yes, and the matter of condolences is easy and simple. Condolences are not difficult for the bereaved. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 07 من 13 / شرح العقيدة الطحاوية / نرى الصلاة خلف كل بر وفاجر / صالح الفوزان / العقيدة / كبار العلماء — youtube.com (1:12:56)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.